Joint energy panel emphasizes importance of Operational Energy -- past, present and future

By Josh RothNovember 14, 2014

Maj. Mark Owens, OASA (ALT)
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Maj. Mark Owens, OASA (ALT)
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Maj. Mark Owens, OASA (ALT)
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WASHINGTON (Nov. 13, 2014) -- From the battles of World War II to recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Operational Energy is considered by military leaders to be a critical driver of our nation's military successes.

That was the common message during a special joint energy panel "Historical Perspectives on Operational Energy" held at the Pentagon.

Subject-matter experts from the U.S. Army War College, Naval War College and Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (OASA (ALT)) covered topics related to Operational Energy over time -- from the strategic use of fuel in Guadalcanal Campaign during World War II to the evolution of power solutions for Soldiers in the field today.

The term Operational Energy refers the energy and associated systems, information, and processes required to train, move and sustain forces and systems for military operations.

Maj. Mark Owens, OASA (ALT), said the Army must ask itself a simple question when it considers power solutions used by Soldiers operating in remote environments, "Is the juice worth the squeeze?"

Do the benefits provided by the power solutions justify the load strain they place on the Soldier?

"What we'd like to work toward is a Net Zero ensemble," Owens said. "Everything (Soldiers) wear should be earning its keep … doing something for you."

Future Soldier power solutions will aim to reduce energy consumption and the need for logistics support. Doing so will result in fewer convoys and support personnel in theater, decreasing strategic vulnerabilities.

Ongoing developmental initiatives for Soldier power solutions include the incorporation of advanced solar and kinetic energy harvesting, wireless charging and smart textile technology into Soldiers' equipment.

Dr. John Deni, a research professor of national security studies at the U.S. Army War College's Strategic Studies Institute, gave a high-level overview of the historical drivers of Operational Energy over the past century.

Historically, Deni said, periods of more costly energy such as the 1940s, 1970s and 2000s has led to Operational Energy receiving top priority by the Department of Defense (DoD). Conversely, periods of cheap energy caused by production booms and technological breakthroughs often leads the military back into energy complacency.

"America's interest in Operational Energy security has been driven primarily by major changes in the international energy system," Deni said. "When energy becomes cheap, frankly, Americans stop caring about it so much."

Over the past decade, Deni cited dramatic increases in the demand for oil in developing countries and a corresponding drop in oil production in the world's major producing countries as two primary drivers of energy costs.

Deni believes that despite its renewed focus on Operational Energy today, the DoD faces an uphill battle to ensure a lasting commitment to improving Operational Energy. Future technological breakthroughs, such as the unfolding shale gas revolution, might lead to cheaper energy, Deni said, and threaten to derail current and future DoD efforts.

What is really needed to cement gains and ensure a continued focus on Operational Energy within the DoD, Deni said, is a culture change to fundamentally change how we think about and use energy.

Deni also cited a number of other steps the DoD could take to ensure the priority of Operational Energy, including maintaining institutional champions of Operational Energy security and efficiency, fostering better cooperation with its allies, partners and between the service branches, and emphasizing the use of commercial-off-the-shelf solutions to minimize research and development costs to the military.

The wide-ranging and thoughtful panel discussion was underscored by the shared belief among all of the subject-matter experts that Operational Energy would remain a critical issue facing the DoD in the future.

"We're not sure what the next fight is going to be (or) the next operation is going to be," Owens said, "but we are very certain that energy -- and the management of it -- is going to be critical to our success."

The panel was hosted by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy Plans and Programs and the Office of the Secretary of Defense Historical Office, and was part of a larger effort by the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps to raise awareness of DoD energy challenges, accomplishments and initiatives.

Related Links:

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Operational Energy

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